Collapsible rack



1 M 927 J. PEARSON COLLAPSIBLE R Filed May 9. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1927.. 1,621,558

J. PEARSON COLLAPSIVBLE RACK Filed May 9. 1924 :s Sheets-Sheet 2 J 5 o I; o

jweiz'zf'o 7564.55. J5%rc/ dz eaxr'saru Patented Mar. 22,1927.

- UNITED v STATES Jo IN PEARSON,

or :PULLMAn, ILLINOIS, Assisnon TO THE PULLM N; COMPANY, or

- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIIIS.

GOLLAPSIBLE RACKQ Application filed May 9,

"bepleced tipon the bed to the inconvenience of the occupant. n

U Although such inadequacy. has been for ye r he s bje o e' ide ie on t P r of those versed in all matterspertainin g to the construction of sleeping cars, the ham mocks have been considered to be the only e s le q Pm t Qf-t Pe PQ w n to the fact thatthe space vbetween ithe side of the car and the. panel of the berth is completely filled with be'dding head boards and. h r m iel wh n h Pane is old "1 p, and any accommodations provided must conse uent y e st ur i h w l n nterfere with such use of the space.

, j The principal object ofthe invention is to provide a collapsible rack for the upper berths of sleeping cars, which, When in use,

-turn ishes a spacious'shelf onwhichclothing may be laid out and luggage may be laced, an whi h whe o in use, ay be l ap out o fthe way against the side of the car.

1 Another objectis to provide a rack of the ch aracter described which 7 is constructed of flexible material, and is accordingly not sub ject to breakage or permanent deformation when compactly stored with the other berth m aterials. v V

An ther object is to provide a rack of the character described which is possessed of the stability of a rigid structure but is sufficiently yielding to obviate any danger of injury to the berth Occupant in case of "acci d ntal collision th r wi r ,Other objects and advantages willfioccur vto those skilled in the art upon a. full comprehension of the structural features of-the In order that the invention may beread- Fig. 1 is an abridged 1924 Serial u name.

ilyu-understood an exemplifying emb,odi-' mentof the same is set forth in the accompanying drawings. in the followingde tailed description based thereon. As the invention is obviously susceptible oflemblodiment in other and a ed"coi stru tural orms 7 without departure froln the essence of the invention, and sacrifice of its material advantages, it is tobe understood that the drawings and description are to beconsid ered in an illustrative not in anunneces- I I sarily limit ng sense.

In the drawings-Ye v v side View of the rack, showing the disposition of the same i hi th p e ber h f a Sleeping Flg- '2 is a" t nsversefsection ,thrb gh' th rack, showing again'the disposition of: the

same; 7 l

V Fig. 3 is an abridge top view of the rack,-

showing again the disposition of magma;

and

.Fig, 4 is a complete top view of the rack; V The rack is preferably" composed of several longitudinally extendingstrips 10, several transversely extending strips" 11, which connect with intermediate portions of the strips 10 at interv ls. thro ghout the length ot the rack, two cables 12 whic h connect with the ends of the strips-1 0 11 and constitute the marginal portions of the. rack, four attaching hacks "13 which" connect with the cable 12 at the corners of the rack, two fixtures l4: forsupporting the rear corners of the rack, and two fixtures 15 fo supporting theiront corners of the rackf The strips 10 and 11 and the cables 12are i formed of flexible materialsg and the, body portion of the rack is accordingly flexible. A preferred arrangement of thesev elements geinent preclud a Suit-able body pe ma eu I When the rack is mounted in an upper berth-16, the fixtures ll'may be secured to is herein disclosed, but it will be iinder$ ood I i that any arra v the upper curvedside Wall 17 of the car at about the desired level-of the rack andathe H fixtures 15 may be secured to the permanent section partitions 18.

The fixtures 145 are ordinary eye brackets n whic t ea lQQkrs 13 engage, but'the front fixtures are elongated brackets having downwardly and forwardly diverging rod portions 19 about which thefront hooks l3 slidably engage. The upper ends of the fixtures 15 are'located above 'tliefixtures 1% adjacent the wall" 17 and'the lower ends of the same are located in front of the fixtures 14, at, about thelevel of the same.

The rack is collapsedjby sliding the front hooks 13 rearwardly and upwardly along the converging rod portions 19 of the fixtures 15, and, when the front hooks 13 have reached the rear end of their travel, the rack will be supported loosely in a collapsed positio n andwi'll conform yieldingly to the contour of any objects stored in the folded berth. The rack is opened by sliding the front hooks 13 downwardlyand forwardly along the rod portions 19 of the fixtures 15,

and, when the hooxs 13 have reached the front end of their travel, the rack will be 'heldtautly in' asubstanti'ally horizontal outspread position, owing to the divergent relation of the rod portions19. r

The books 13 at one end if the rack may advantageously be provided buclfles 20, which may be adjusted from time to time to compensate-for any stretching in the body of therack.

While the rack is particularly adapted for use in the upper berths of sleeping cars, it

7 will be appreciated that the same may also be advantageously used in other confined spaces.

I claim: 1. A collapsible rack of generally rectangular form,'and stationary fixtures for supi porting the rack at the four corners of the "same, the association between the rack and the fixtures being such that the same fixtures are used both forsupporting the rack' an outspre'ad position and in a collapsed position. t V

2. A collapsible rack of'fiexible material,

supporting fixtures adjacent the ends of therack, a stationary connection between one side-o1 each end of'the rack and the adjacent fixture, and a movable connection between the other side of each end of the rack and the adjacent fixture, whereby when the movable connection is moved away from thestationary connection'the rack is supported tautly in an outspread position and when the movable connection is moved toward the stationary. connection the rack is supported loosely in a collapsed position.

3."A collapsible rack," two fixtures to which two corresponding corners of the rack are connected, and two other fixtures to which the twoother corresponding corners of "the rack are connected, said last mentioned'fixtuies having elongated connecting portions which diverge from each other asthey approach the level of the first mentioned fixtures, whereby to hold the rack with 1 turn 1,621,558 Y A a,

tautly when the same is outspread in an approximately level position.

i. A collapsible rack, two fixtures to which two corresponding corners of the rack are connected, and two other fixtures to which the two other corresponding corners of the rac; are connected, said last mento the ends of both the longitudinally and transversely extending strips, and coupling devices carried by the marginal members adjacent the ends of the rack for attachment vto suitable supporting means;

6. A collapsible rack of generallyrectan gular form including" several longitudinally extending flexible strips, several transversely extending flexible strips connecting intermediate portions of the first mentionedstrips,

two flexible cables connected tothe ends of both the longitudinally and transversely extending strips, and four coupling hooks slidably carried by the cables adjacent the corners of the rack for attachment to suitable supporting meansfl 7 A collapsible rack of flexible material for use in a confined space, two fixed rear brackets for supporting the rear corners of the rack, and two fixed frontbracketshaving downwardly and forwardlygdiverging rod portions for slidab'lyl supporting the front corners of the rack, whereby when the front corners are moved downwardly and forwardly the rack will be held tautly in an outspread position and when the'front corners are moved upwardly and rearwardly the rack will be held loosely in a collapse position.

V 8. A collapsible rack .of flexible material foruse in a confined space, adjustable coupling devices at the corners of therack, two fixed brackets for supporting the rear coupling devices, and two other fixed brackets having downwardly and laterally diverging rod portions for slidably supporting the front coupling devices, whereby when the front coupling devices are slid forwardly the rack will be held tautly in an outspread position and when the, front coupling devices are slid rearwardly the rackwill be held loosely in a collapsed condition. y

9. Fixtures for supporting corresponding corners of a collapsible rack bo'tl1:when'out spread and when collapsed, comprising two fixed brackets adapted for attachment to opposing walls, said brackets having inclined rod portions on which the coupling portions of the rack are adapted tovslide 'having downwardly and laterally diverging when the rack is beingoutspread or 001- rod portions down which the coupling por- 10 lapsed. tions of the rack are adapted to slide when 10. Fixtures for supporting corresponding the rack is being outsprea-d.

-5 corners of a collapsible rack both when out- In testimony whereof I have hereunto spread tautly and when collapsed loosely, subscribed my name. 7 comprising two fixed brackets adapted for attachment to opposing walls, said brackets JOHN PEARSON. 

